10 July 2013 –Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario held talks with European Council President Herman Van Rompuy in their first meeting at the Council headquarters in Brussels on July 08.
President Van Rompuy warmly welcomed the Secretary and recalled his meeting with President Benigno S. Aquino III in the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in Laos last year.
During the meeting, Secretary del Rosario raised the issue of Filipino seafarers. In April, a European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) audit team visited the Philippines to check the country’s compliance with the Standards, Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) Convention. The Philippines is a signatory to this Convention which provides for standards in training, certification and watchkeeping for seafarers. State Parties, including the Philippines, are under obligation to comply with these standards.
Secretary del Rosario briefed President Van Rompuy of corrective actions taken so far to address the deficiencies found by the first EMSA audit mission. He underscored the importance of the seafaring industry to the country, pointing out that there are about 80,000 seafarers aboard EU-flagged vessels.
While acknowledging the socio-economic significance of the maritime industry, President Van Rompuy stated frankly that the EMSA mission in October will not make an assessment based on political considerations but will focus on the technical aspects of compliance.
President Van Rompuy congratulated the Philippines on the reforms under President Aquino and the consequent positive economic performance of the country. He noted with satisfaction the shared values and the encouraging partnership between the EU and the Philippines, citing as example, the signing of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), respect for human rights and Philippine support for EU’s participation in the East Asia Summit.
The EU Council President also stated that the Philippines’ decision to resolve territorial maritime issues peacefully and within the framework of international law particularly UNCLOS was the right path to take.
The Secretary briefed President Van Rompuy of developments in the Mindanao peace process and welcomed continued EU support for the region’s socio-economic growth.
On the EU ban of Philippine air carriers, President Van Rompuy said that a decision will be announced today, July 10.
The European Council is one of the three major institutions of the European Union, the other two being the European Commission and the European Parliament. President Van Rompuy represents the heads of governments and states of the 28 Member States of the EU.
The Philippines and the European Union will celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations next year. END
